Political instability mars Phagwah P celebrations
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Nationwide coverage from the best news team in Guyana guyanatimesgy.com
Issue No. 4221
THE BEACON OF TRUTH TUESDAY, MARCH 10, 2020
US Secretary of State, Canada discuss "democratic transition in Guyana" See story on page 7
…as attempt to hijack election results reaches highest level of US Govt Unverified Region 4 results
“This is a retrievable situation” – Opposition Leader See story on page 3
GECOM shenanigans triggered countrywide civil unrest – Selwyn Pieters See story on page 9
…says ability to deliver credible election result is compromised
Front Page Comment
Every vote must count T
his newspaper wishes to reiterate the declaration of the Chair of Caricom and Barbados Prime Minister, Mia Mottley, QC, on the present illegality precipitated in the Region Four (Demerara-Mahaica) voters’ count: “We are very clear, every vote must be made to count; and transparently so.” She explained very succinctly how that two-part standard was to be achieved: “by ensuring the tabulation of the results in all Regions using the Statements of Polls (SoPs) in a transparent manner in the presence of the representatives of the political parties and the electoral observers.” The use of the SoPs ensures that every vote is counted, and tabulating them in the presence of the stipulated observers ensures transparency. To abandon this standard would vitiate the fundamental principle of “one man one vote”, which undergirds our democratic elections. In practice, it would also permit any party in any region to win an election by influencing the Returning Officer (RO) to bypass the SoPs and concoct figures on “spreadsheets” to subvert the electoral system to elect the people’s representatives, who represent their will. This subversion will destroy our democracy and must be nipped at the earliest stage so that it does not create a fait accompli that will take years to reverse, if at all. This will not stand.
Unverified Region 4 results
Questions raised after Volda Lawrence's signature seen on declaration Oil price plunges, falls below break-even price Page 12
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WHAT'S INSIDE:
APNU/AFC P9 somersaults on use of SoPs for tabulating results
...pushed them in 2015, but now says “unnecessary”
Indigenous people flay Govt P2 reps over ‘ungrateful’ claims …say State services provided an obligation, not favours to be repaid
Granger took office with $15B in gold, ends P2 1st term with less than $1B remaining – BoG
Government P8 reopens Suriname border ...coronavirus threat over? – Lawrence, Ramjattan silent
Guyanese P2 woman killed in murdersuicide in US
P11 Guyanese businessman arrested in New York on drug charges